


Bang!

by longhairshortfuse



Series: One Shot Wonders [14]
Category: Welcome to Night Vale
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Science
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-23
Updated: 2015-07-23
Packaged: 2018-04-10 20:38:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 674
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4406714
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/longhairshortfuse/pseuds/longhairshortfuse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Carlos is babysitting Roger Harlan. How do you think a scientist is going to entertain a youngster?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bang!

**Author's Note:**

  * For [nerdetarian](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nerdetarian/gifts).



> I love the idea of Carlos playing "cool science uncle".

Cecil pushed open the lab door and wandered in. He opened his mouth and took a deep breath, ready to announce his presence, but was interrupted before he could call out. One sharp _bang!_ and two giggles came from the back of the lab, behind the fireproof partition that separated the office space from the main lab. 

Cecil smiled and crept to the gap in the partition. He peered around it. Carlos, long hair safely secured with knotted twine, stained and singed workaday lab-coat over his clothes, safety glasses slipping down his face, stood grinning at the smaller figure beside him. Cecil's smile widened and he stifled his laugh with his hand. The boy wore a lab-coat that reached almost to the floor, sleeves rolled up and bunched at his wrists. His safety glasses were secured with a rubber band looping from one ear to the other behind his head. The boy grinned up at Carlos.

"Again!"

Carlos laughed. "Yes, okay, but we're going to make it a little bit different this time." Carlos took something out of his pocket, Cecil couldn't quite see. "I'll hold it open, you put one little scoop of copper sulfate powder inside." The boy reached for the jars in front of him, rotating them and squinting at the labels. He picked out the blue one. "That's right! Well done. Not too much, okay?" 

Cecil watched the boy's unsteady hand. Carlos reached out to help him but stopped, letting the boy spill a little. "Okay, what do we do now?"  
"Um," the lad frowned. "All spills must be cleaned up safely immediately?"  
Carlos beamed. "Good! You are turning into a brilliant scientist. You can use a damp paper towel for this stuff but wash your hands after."  
The boy fetched a paper towel. He saw Cecil, waved and grinned. Cecil held a finger over his lips and shook his head. The boy looked to Carlos and back to Cecil and nodded, an _oh_ unspoken on his lips. 

Carlos pinched the latex glove tight to the outlet valve of the gas cylinder on his other side, filled and knotted it. He tied a weight to it with more twine so that the inflated glove hovered above the bench top. The boy's attention was all on Carlos and the makeshift hydrogen balloon. Carlos guided the boy back with a hand on his shoulder.  
"Safe distance, okay? You want to do this one?"  
"Yes!" The boy reached for the cane Carlos held. Carlos passed it over and held the other end still while he lit the wax taper that protruded from the hollow cane.  
"Okay! Like I showed you and this time I'm gonna ask for your observations after the experiment so you have to watch carefully and think."  
The boy stood back, stroked his chin and said _hmm._ Carlos laughed.

Cecil saw the boy hold the lit taper out, stretching as far as his arm allowed, rotating his shoulders to lengthen his reach, leaning forward and staring up at the balloon as the shaky flame approached the underside of the stretched latex. 

_Bang!_

Cecil jumped and cried out _Oh!_ The boy dropped the cane, taper blown out by the explosion it initiated, and giggled. Carlos laughed and turned.  
"Hey babe, how long have you been watching?" He turned back to the boy. "So, what was different this time?"  
The boy grinned. "It was green! I thought it would be blue because the powder was blue, but we made a green bang!"  
Cecil walked over and hugged them both. "So, how are my two favourite scientists?"  
Both scientists grinned. The younger one picked up the bamboo and offered it to Cecil. "Do you want to make a green bang? I can show you how."  
Cecil smiled. "Roger, honey, I'd love to stay and science with you both but your dad wants you back now."  
Roger shrugged and looked down. "Oh. Okay. I guess Uncle Carlos can help you bang later."  
Cecil avoided eye contact with Uncle Carlos.  
"Yes, I expect he can."


End file.
